# 1096
Chapter 1097: He Died
Tires churned through scattered snow. Across the barren snowfield, an off-road vehicle roared like a beast, speeding forward at full throttle.
An Qingyu gripped the steering wheel with both hands, pressing the accelerator to the floor. Messy black hair spilled across her white coat, her eyes fixed intently on the horizon, brow furrowed tight.
In just a few short days, this was already the second time An Qingyu had used a分身 (clone) to reincarnate. Adding in the previous instances, the clone reserves An Qingyu had prepared beneath Cangnan City for nearly two years were nearly exhausted.
Even though dissecting the Ten-Section Oni Child had granted him the power to create clones, An Qingyu was, after all, not a "Mystery." Creating clones remained an extremely time-consuming and energy-draining process for him. Even with full dedication, manufacturing one clone required at least four months.
After joining the Night Watch, An Qingyu had been traveling the world with Lin Qiye, never having enough time to settle down and create clones. After this rebirth, only one clone remained, lying in a cryogenic coffin as his final trump card.
But that wasn't what An Qingyu was worried about now.
He glanced at the map, picked up a walkie-talkie from the passenger seat, and pressed the button:
"This is An Qingyu. Come in."
He didn't even adjust the frequency or turn up the volume. He knew clearly that as long as he held the walkie-talkie, Jiang Er would be able to locate his signal source, regardless of which channel.
Soon, Jiang Er's voice came through the walkie-talkie:
"Receiving."
"What's the situation at the Divine Stele?"
Once An Qingyu asked the question, silence fell on the other end.
"Jiang Er?"
"...Qingyu, we're with the new recruits now, almost at the airstrip. Let's talk when we get there."
An Qingyu's brow furrowed. A sense of unease flickered through his heart, but he still said: "Alright, I'm on my way."
He yanked the steering wheel hard. The vehicle screamed toward the airstrip. His foot pressed deeper on the accelerator, his expression growing increasingly anxious.
It wasn't long before he arrived near the airstrip.
An Qingyu stepped out of the vehicle quickly, not caring about his disheveled appearance, and strode forward. In the crude airstrip, the new recruits stood one by one with lowered heads, silently boarding the aircraft. Their eyes were slightly red-rimmed.
Over six hundred new recruits, and not a single one spoke. They moved like machines, orderly and regimented.
The entire airstrip was deathly silent.
Shen Qingzhu sat alone at the entrance of the airstrip, blood-stained hands夹着一根烟 (clutching a cigarette). The cigarette wasn't lit, but the filter had been crushed between two pale, forceful fingers.
Jiang Er's coffin sat beside him. Dressed in a white gown, Jiang Er floated in the air. When she saw An Qingyu arrive, her lips pressed together slightly, and she instinctively averted her gaze, lowering her head.
An Qingyu scanned the surroundings. The other members of 【夜幕】 (Night Watch) squad were nowhere to be seen.
His heart sank.
He walked over to Shen Qingzhu and Jiang Er.
"What happened? What's going on?"
At the sound of An Qingyu's voice, the statue-like Shen Qingzhu seemed to snap back to reality. His bloodshot eyes slowly closed. His trembling right hand, the one clutching the crushed cigarette, lifted it toward his lips. A flame flickered to life, igniting the tip.
He took a deep drag and spoke hoarsely:
"Qiye... he died in battle."
Hearing these words, it was as if a thunderbolt struck An Qingyu's mind!
He stood frozen in place for a long while, like a lost soul, murmuring: "Dead... how did he die?"
"He activated 鬼神引 (Demon God Guide) to defend the National Guardian Divine Stele. He held off one of the Nine Pillar Gods alone, buying time until the Human Apex and the Gods of Great Xia arrived."
"鬼神引..."
An Qingyu repeated those three words, his body trembling slightly.
"Did the Black King fail to stop them? Cao Yuan, what about Cao Yuan?"
"Cao Yuan transformed into the Black King and was suppressed by the Queen Mother of the West. After the Heavenly Court returned from the battlefield, he and Qiye's body were taken to the Heavenly Court by the Gods of Great Xia. Then he disappeared." Jiang Er added.
"What about Pangpang? Wasn't he not involved in the fighting? Where did he go?"
"He... went missing. He disappeared right when the battle started."
An Qingyu stood in silence, his fists clenched beneath his cloak. Dense blood vessels crawled across the whites of his eyes behind the lenses. His breathing grew ragged and heavy.
After a moment, he slowly closed his eyes.
"I understand." His voice steadied considerably. "Take the new recruits and return to Shangjing first..."
Hearing this, Shen Qingzhu's body flinched slightly. He and Jiang Er looked up at An Qingyu simultaneously.
"Don't look at me like that. If Qiye isn't here, I'll command the squad." An Qingyu's eyes held not a trace of turbulence, calmly meeting both their gazes. "The priority now is to safely escort these new recruits back to headquarters. The matter of Heavenly Court will surely get us an answer from the top."
"But... this squad, there's only three of us left now..."
Jiang Er苦涩地开口 (spoke with bitterness).
"What's wrong with three people? Even if only one remains, we are 【夜幕】 (Night Watch). Our duties remain unchanged."
An Qingyu hoisted the coffin from the ground onto his back and spoke in an uncompromising tone:
"Listen to me. Return to the capital."
Shen Qingzhu hesitated briefly, then tossed the cigarette into the snow and turned toward the plane.
"Qingyu..." Jiang Er seemed to want to say more, but An Qingyu cut her off.
"I'm fine. Go check the aircraft's signal equipment. See if you can contact headquarters from the plane."
"...Alright."
Jiang Er floated toward the aircraft obediently.
When everyone had boarded and An Qingyu stood alone at the original spot with the black coffin on his back, his body suddenly swayed. He slammed a fist into the snow-covered ground!
Snow erupted. Dense cracks spread across the earth. Every vein on An Qingyu's well-proportioned arms bulged. His expression twisted and contorted in fury.
"Damn it..."
He clenched his teeth tight, wisps of blood seeping between his teeth. He punched the ground again and again, venting his rage and grief.
His knuckles shattered and healed repeatedly. When he finally withdrew his hands, took a deep breath, and walked toward the aircraft cabin, his expression had returned to its usual calm.
He passed through the cabin under the watchful eyes of countless new recruits and arrived at the cockpit door.
Just as he opened the cockpit door, a figure stumbled out from behind it. An Qingyu quickly grabbed his wrist. After seeing his face clearly, he froze.
"Pangpang?"
Baili Pangpang glanced outside to make sure no one else was paying attention, then pulled An Qingyu into the cockpit and locked the door behind him.
"How are you here?" An Qingyu asked, confused.
Baili Pangpang lay weakly on the ground, his pale face devoid of color. He gently lifted the corner of his shirt, pointing to the terrifying, gruesome wound gouged in his abdomen. He smiled helplessly:
"This wound... I can't heal it myself. Qingyu, it's up to you now."